President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a new Nigerian Army depot in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, to expand the Army’s logistics architecture and operational reach.

With this approval, the number of Nigerian Army depots in the country increases to three, breaking decades of dependence on a single depot for the storage, distribution, and management of military logistics.

The existing depots are located in Kaduna and Osogbo, while the newly approved Abakaliki facility will serve as a strategic hub for the South-East and adjoining regions.

Defence sources say the decision is part of a broader effort by the Tinubu administration to strengthen the Armed Forces through improved logistics, decentralisation of critical military infrastructure, and enhanced regional balance in defence assets.

For years, the limited number of depots has posed logistical challenges for the Nigerian Army, particularly in the areas of timely supply, equipment rotation, and rapid deployment.

The addition of the Abakaliki depot is expected to reduce pressure on existing facilities, shorten supply chains, and improve response time to security operations, especially in the South-East and South-South corridors.

Beyond operational considerations, the move also carries strategic significance.
The South-East has long advocated for increased federal security presence and infrastructure, amid persistent security challenges and calls for deeper inclusion in national defence planning.

The new depot is seen as a confidence-building measure and a signal of the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing security needs across all regions.

The depot is expected to support ongoing military operations, training, and logistics coordination, while also creating ancillary economic benefits for Ebonyi State through employment, infrastructure development, and increased commercial activity around the facility.

Although details on the construction and commissioning timelines have yet to be disclosed, defence officials say the approval aligns with the administration’s ongoing military modernisation drive to improve efficiency, readiness, and inter-agency coordination within the Armed Forces.

The approval of the Abakaliki depot adds to a series of recent defence and security interventions under President Tinubu, as the government intensifies efforts to enhance national security, strengthen military capacity, and respond more effectively to evolving security threats across the country.